5 takeaways from Penn State's dominant win over Nebraska

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Penn State's rolling.

The Nittany Lions have turned things around and are just a win away from being bowl eligible, something that didn't seem realistic just two weeks ago.

Penn State dominated Nebraska throughout the entire game, beating the Cornhuskers, 37-10.

Here's five takeaways from the Nittany Lions' impressive showing.

Terry Smith makes his head coaching case

With all of the fans chanting his name, and signs being held up saying, "Hire Terry Smith," the interim coach made his case to be the next man in charge for the Nittany Lions.

He's turned the team around since taking over, almost beating Iowa, hanging with Ohio State in the first half and coming just a couple of centimeters away from beating Indiana. Since then, he's now 2-0 with the most recent victory being his best one yet.

Smith completely out-coached Nebraska's Matt Rhule. This included a fake punt in the 4th quarter that sprung Luke Reynolds free for a big gain, easily getting the first down.

Running backs run wild

Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton will be cemented in Penn State history after the season comes to an end, and rightfully so.

Allen broke the career rushing record set by Evan Royster in the game while Singleton two records of Saquon Barkley's, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns in a career.

The new record holder ran 25 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, including some big runs. Singleton only ran it seven times for 44 yards and two touchdowns, as well. He added 51 yards on three catches, showcasing his all-around ability that Penn State fans have learned to love.

Singleton and Allen have at least one more game together, two at most if the Nittany Lions win against Rutgers, but they will be names remembered fondly by the Penn State faithful for years to come.

Grunkemeyer's growth

Ethan Grunkemeyer has continued to flash his potential, and his performance against Nebraska was a full showcase of it.

Grunkemeyer threw the ball just 12 times, completing 11 of them for 181 yards and a touchdown.

These throws included passes down the field and on-target throws that kept the running game going and the defense off-balance. His poise in the pocket continued to show that he has every right to be the starting quarterback next season, depending on the outlook of the team and the new coach.

Grunkemeyer has proved why he was a four-star quarterback and a member of the Elite 11 program.

Defense held strong

Nebraska went deep into Penn State territory multiple times. However, the defense was more of a bend, but don't break, forcing a turnover on downs multiple times throughout the game.

This included the opening drive, stuffing one of the best running backs in the country on 4th and 2, bringing full momentum onto the side of the blue and white.

Other 4th down stops just continued momentum, keeping the dominance going. The defense as a whole has seemingly picked up the Jim Knowles defense more over the past couple of weeks. The unit has looked like a completely different group, one that would be under one of the best coordinators in the country.

Young players continue to shine

It was senior night. However, the young players continued to shine.

Behind Grunkemeyer's efficient night, Koby Howard sparked the first drive with a 31 yard reception, once again being his lone reception on the night. However, the defensive side of things showed more youth.

Alex Tatsch played a significant role and Daryus Dixson once again played a lot in the secondary. On the defensive line, Yvan Kemajou recorded his first career sack as a freshman.

Additionally, Lavar Arrington II burned his redshirt as he was constantly on special teams. If one thing is certain, the Nittany Lions have many big-time young players, and many of them would preferably stay if Penn State had its way.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 5 takeaways from Penn State's dominant win over Nebraska

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